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What if you had a student who exhibited classroom-disrupting behavior, and your only recourse was to send them outside of the district? What if, when they come back, you didn’t get much information other than they are ready to return, and it’s unclear if they have learned anything from their time away, other than that their behavior was “bad”?

That’s a scenario facing many schools—students are punished for their behavior without a clear path on how to help them reintegrate into the classroom. According to education leaders during the edLeader Panel “Building Behavioral Services That Reintegrate and Graduate Students: The Path Back,” there are methods that can actually improve the school culture. Presenting a case study for Buckeye Union High School District (AZ), they discussed why a change was needed, the program that was put in place, and the positive results from their solution.

The Challenge

Even prior to COVID-19, Buckeye Union High School District (BUHSD) experienced a significant rise in detrimental student behavior. In addition to increased mental health issues, students were vaping, smoking marijuana, and using other addictive substances. The only recourse school leaders had, no matter the infraction, was external placement outside of the district. Often, the students never returned to the school. If they did, there was no reintegration plan to help them succeed.

The Plan

Focused on creating a safe learning environment where students feel valued and supported, the goal was to develop a program that reduced removals, suspensions, and disruptions from instruction. They wanted to keep the students in the district as well, providing them a path back to their home school. Most importantly, students needed to work on their academics at the same time they received behavioral support, which leads to better outcomes.

The Solution

With the support of district leaders, Scott Acton, Exceptional Student Services Director, and his team created the BUHSD Learning Center, an alternative education program. Housed in its own building within the district, the Learning Center assists students with both academic and behavioral needs. Students stay on track with their studies while learning therapeutic strategies, developing coping skills, and understanding how to recognize and regulate their emotions. With LEARN Academy as their partner, the team created a customized program for their student population. As the students’ needs change, Acton’s team has adapted and added to the Learning Center’s offerings to make sure all students get access to supports that fit their journey. For example, the Learning Center now has a social communication program for students on the autism spectrum.

Crucially, students have a defined path for reintegration into their home school. When a student and their educators feel they are ready, the student must put together a presentation that details what they’ve learned, their goals for reintegration, and how they will accomplish these goals. If accepted, students then split their day between their home school and the Learning Center. Their teachers receive details on the students’ progress and reintegration plan so they can support the students on their return. Students must also have teachers document their progress daily, helping students maintain responsibility for their behavior and academics. Thus, reintegration isn’t a “dump and go,” but a gradual process based on the individual student, meeting them where they are and setting them up for success.

The Outcomes

One notable result is less stress for the parents. Involved at every step of the journey, including the reintegration presentation, parents are often relieved that there is a positive path forward for their child. Administrators and teachers also support the Learning Center because it offers them clear avenues for helping students beyond just taking them out of the classroom. Finally, state test scores and graduation rates have notably increased.

Advice for Developing Your Own Program

The panelists shared tips for districts getting started with developing their own programs:

• Make sure that the funding is in place, not just for the start-up, but for the following years. You don’t know what needs students will have in the future, and you must be ready to adapt.
• Tackle one program at a time. Make sure everyone understands the initial problem and desired outcomes so you are working on the same goals.
• Do a capacity review. What resources do you have now that you could use more effectively? What do you need in terms of space and staffing? What flexibility and opportunities do you have with transportation, scheduling, etc.?
• Remain flexible. What works for your students now could change, and your job is to provide them with what they need, when they need it.
• Communication is essential, but not just with the parents. Besides keeping parents informed, you need to make sure that all of the teachers and staff are communicating. If there’s a new curriculum unit, for instance, the teachers in the alternate program need to know. If a student needs specific academic supports when they reintegrate, the classroom teachers should understand what those are and how to implement them.
• Focus on therapeutic strategies. Instead of teaching students to be compliant, teach them how to be active problem solvers and have agency in their own lives. Give them tools for success beyond the classroom.
• Understand when students need more than you can give them. While the Learning Center offers daily group counseling, as well as individual sessions as needed, some students need acute care. BUHSD works with clinical practitioners for students who require more in-depth services.
• Don’t expect perfection. Students will have good and bad days when they reintegrate, which is why at BUHSD they have daily reports. The point is for the students to understand why they acted out and what they could do to help themselves next time.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Building Behavioral Services That Reintegrate and Graduate Students: The Path Back, sponsored by The LEARN Academy.

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Article by Stacey Pusey, based on this edLeader Panel